So it is the Summer Solstice, otherwise known as Midsummer or Litha. Personally I prefer to call it either Summer Solstice or Midsummer. Midsummer only because it is really the middle of summer here in the North however if I was back in the Philippines I would just call it the Summer Solstice because it’s summer all year round, there’s no middle.

Also made a new wand. My last one I made was a couple years back which came from my cherry tree. I decided to make a new one this year especially since several people at I Heart Paganism requested it. Sadly I haven’t finished editing the video for it but it will be out sometime this week. I should have done it much earlier but I was in California and also I wanted to do it on the Solstice. However you can do wand making during anytime during summer so for those who want to make their own wands they have plenty of time. This year’s wand that I made I think I love a bit more than the first one I made, why I don’t know but I feel more attached to it. Maybe because of the energies in the wood itself. This year I used a wooden branch from my hollyhock shrub that has grown so much since we first moved here. I remember how small it was and now it’s freakin’ huge. :D My tatay (dad) doesn’t like it only because of how the flower falls down everyday to bloom again. But he likes how pretty it is and everyone loves it so he’s leaving it. Plus it would be hard anyway to cut that down without cutting down the honeysuckle bushes around it surrounding our backyard in between the fence. Speaking of honeysuckle mine are starting to bloom ! ^-^ I just noticed a few yesterday while walking my dogs. A sure sign of summer. :)

Now what exactly is the Summer Solstice? Well as most people know it is the longest day of the year and the shortest night. It is when the Earth’s axis is most inclined towards the sun, at its maximum of 23° 26’. After today the days begin to get shorter and the nights longer until the harvest season, then leading up to the cold winter months.

Now living in New York which is in the Northern Hemisphere I can attune with the 4 traditional seasons, Summer, Fall, Winter, & Spring. It’s no problem celebrating all the Sabbats accordingly since the environment where I currently live and have grown up in fits the cycle in the Wheel of the Year.

However in a Filipino point of view who lives in the Philippines where it’s summer all year round the concept of the longest day and shortest night of the year and vice versa is a ridiculous thought in an archipelago lying in the Pacific on the Equator. Actually any country where it’s lying on the equator can’t relate to the Northern and Southern Hemisphere’s because the day and night hours are practically equal all year round.

I have seen many Filipino’s who are Wiccan in the Philippines celebrating the Sabbats and not aligning it with their own geography, weather, & environment. For example today many people who associate the Summer Solstice with the beginning of summer or for Pagans the middle of summer that idea is crazy in the minds of Filipino’s in the Philippines. Why? Because during this time it’s actually “the end of summer” or in simple terms “the end of the init (hot) season”. You see there are only 2 seasons in the Philippines, some count a 3rd but mainly 2. They are the dry and wet season. The dry season lasts from around December to May while the wet season lasts from June to November.

Now in the Philippine’s it is beginning to become the wet season where the monsoons begin, working it’s way up north to mainland East Asia which it’s now heated land mass pulls in our monsoon winds, thus the results of the monsoons. This season although known as the wet or rainy season has a local term, Habagat, which means south-west monsoon. So unlike the Northern Hemisphere where we are in the middle of summer and beginning to experience the full heat of the sun toward August where it is its hottest the Philippines are experiencing a very wet and rainy climate.

Then when it is the Winter Solstice it is the time when the Philippines is beginning it’s dry season. This season locally is called Amihan, cool northeast wind. Amihan is also the name of a deity who in many creation myth’s was there during the creation along with Bathala the Sky God and Aman Sinaya the Sea Goddess.

So it makes me wonder why are some Filipino’s back home celebrating the wrong season for where they are. It’s like saying an Australian celebrating the Summer Solstice during June when over there it’s not until December. If you are celebrating the earth, the season’s, and nature you should celebrate the changing of season’s that are around you. At least what I personally believe. Which is why even though my culture doesn’t have holidays for some points on the Wheel of the Year and can’t relate to some I still celebrate the Wheel of the Year because where I am currently living and have grown up living in I can attune them.


Wine & Cranberry Cocktail for my offerings.

Now today besides making a new wand I also went to my brothers baseball game. I had to drop him there because my other brother sneaked in my moms car this morning to get a ride to the area where my mom works to see his friends who live there. Haha. He told me about it last night about his ninja plan but I never thought he would actually do it. I’m not saying he wouldn’t because I know he would but to do it the next day with no real plan and not get caught until when my mom got to work is just wow. Haha.

So because of that I had to go and watch his game which isn’t bad. I still got to soak under Sinukuan’s rays. :D
White lily flower that just bloomed today during the Solstice. :)

Flower’s I gathered in the morning to decorate on my altar.

Mint. Smells soo good !

Earlier in the morning I was actually expecting a little bit of rain since it was cloudy and looked like it was going to. I was ready to harvest some rain water like I always do around this time to use for ritual’s and blessings throughout the year but it didn’t rain or thunderstorm this year so I’ll wait until it does. :)


Our egglplant’s still growing and thriving. There was another one toward the back in that empty space but my dogs dug it up the other day. Ah well it happens.

One section of our cucumber’s and green pea’s still growing. By the end of August it will cover that whole area.

The other side.

Honeysuckle that are beginning to bloom.

My Summer Solstice altar. I took that picture before I put my food offerings on that plate but currently there are a couple of summer fruits such as an orange, grapes, & strawberries. You can also see the new wand i made today.

Other than that I just ate out in the porch for lunch and dinner and just did my rededication ritual to my path which I do every year.

Blessed Be and I hope everyone had a wonderful Solstice. Whether you were celebrating the Summer or Winter Solstice depending where you are I hoped it was a good one.